How to prepare for a job interview
Turn the job advert into a focused interview plan, prepare useful examples and arrive with questions that help you judge the role.
Build your preparation around the advert
Read the advert again and mark the skills, experience and behaviours the employer repeats. Prepare one strong example for each important requirement, including what you personally did and the result.
- Research the employer’s work, customers and recent priorities.
- Plan your journey or test the video-call setup.
- Keep your CV and the job advert available.
- Prepare a concise answer to why this role and why this employer.
Use a simple structure for examples
For competency questions, set the context briefly, explain the task, spend most of your answer on your actions, then finish with the result and what you learned. Specific examples are more persuasive than hypothetical answers.
Interview the employer too
Good questions help you understand expectations and show that you are thinking seriously about the work.
- What would success look like in the first three months?
- Why is the role available?
- How will performance and development be supported?
- What are the next stages and expected timescale?
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check the vacancy details and official guidance for your circumstances.